I awoke at […]
Author: Kevin Wondrash
A blessed Easter
Dear Friends,
This last week, on Palm Sunday, we were presented with the “icon,” the image, of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem on a donkey, to hear the praises of the people, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest!”
Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the personal representative of our Holy Father, in his first address to the bishops of the United States, said to us, “Always remember that you are nothing but a donkey. But, it was the donkey who carried the Messiah toward his destiny.” This was reminiscent of the words of St. Josemaria. As we enter into Easter, through the very special celebrations of Holy Week, let us commit ourselves to be nothing but donkeys, bearing on our shoulders the Messiah of the Lord — not only at Easter time, but every blessed day.
Our oneness in the Eucharist
What a great learning experience was provided as we watched the events in Rome surrounding the death of Pope John Paul II, April 2, 2005, and the subsequent election of Pope Benedict XVI.
Who would have thought that we would come to know and appreciate so much more about our Catholic faith? We joined with millions of people around the world to reflect on the truths of Christianity and the lives of Jesus’ outstanding disciples both past and present. Those were grace-filled days that we will not soon forget.
Responding, like Mary, to God’s will for us
Dear Friends,
Each year on March 25th, we celebrate the great Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. We celebrate that day when the Archangel Gabriel came and said to Mary, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you . . .Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus,” to which Mary replied, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your Word.” Mary was presented with God’s will for her, and she offered her profound “yes!”
Joining the survivors’ club
The Survivors Club is currently a best seller. In his travels far and wide, the author found that faith in God was the top reason people gave for surviving the ups and downs of life.
Speaking of survivors, have you heard the story about the three Olympic Games fans who had no tickets to see the track and field events?
With a song in my heart
Recently, a young man on American Idol sang a “modern” song, one of those all-beat-and-no-sense. I used to complain that I couldn’t understand the words, but now that my TV has the words printed on the bottom of the screen and I can actually understand them, I know I wasn’t missing much. And nothing rhymes. How can they memorize them? Oh, yes, they just repeat one phrase a hundred times.
In a recent interview, one of these guys whose voice seemed spectacular despite the song said that his vocal music training had come primarily from church choirs. Two thoughts came to my mind: He should have stuck with the church music and where have I heard that before?
Addressing the ‘credibility crisis’
Dear friends,
As we come to the midpoint of Lent, it is a good time for us to remember to look ahead and to mark down in our calendars the many celebrations and commemorations of Holy Week, and especially the great Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night — the most important liturgy of the Church year.
We continue to pray for those women and men, and boys and girls, who will enter our Church at Easter, that they might continue to have a grace-filled time of preparation.
Let us all look forward to the Easter Vigil, that we might celebrate with joy, and faith, and a good deal of enthusiasm!
It is a temptation for us, during Lent and even otherwise, to fall short in that enthusiasm which should be ours as Catholics. There is a temptation to get caught up in the comings and goings of our everyday lives, and to get caught up in the politics of our day and age and to forget that which is really most important, that is Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead.
A new season full of new beginnings
Daylight Savings Time returns. One rooster’s step longer. That is how my parents described the gradual lengthening of brightness each day from winter into spring.
One day at a time like the little step of a bird, the world enjoys more light as we shed the winter wearies and embrace the lingering dusks to come.
Verbal engineering: Swaying of public conscience
Over the years, a number of unjust laws have come to be replaced by more just ones. Laws overturning the practice of slavery, for example, were a significant step forward in promoting justice and basic human rights in society.
Yet in recent times, unjust and immoral laws have, with increasing frequency, come to replace sound and reasonable ones, particularly in the area of sexual morality, bioethics, and the protection of human life.
Reflections on Lent
Dear Friends,
We once again find ourselves in the holy season of Lent. And each year, we are all reminded of our need for increased prayer, fasting, and almsgiving during this penitential time. We will, no doubt, make the Sacrament of Confession a priority and avail ourselves of Lenten activities in our parishes. Fish fries, simpler meals, giving as a family to Operation Rice Bowl, and other sacrifices will become part of our routine for the next 40 days.